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Third suspected anthrax case found in Virginia

A third suspected case of anthrax is being monitored at the Prince William Hospital in Manassas, north Virginia, USA Today reported on Tuesday.

This follows the discovery of two other cases of the disease in southeast Florida, which has resulted in one death and the closure of the offices of the supermarket tabloid The Sun.

Doctors did not rule out a connection between the cases in Florida and the new case in Virginia. The victim at Prince William had either been an employee of or a contractor for The Sun, M Boyd Marcus, Virginia Governor Jim Gilmore's chief of staff, said.

A germ culture from the latest victim has been sent to a state laboratory in Richmond, Virginia, for an analysis. The result is expected in 24 hours.

The sudden discovery of anthrax cases in the Florida newspaper office has led law-enforcement and medical authorities to believe that it is a deliberate act. But Attorney General John Ashcroft said the government did not know yet whether it was related to terrorism.

Investigators are also looking into the possibility that the anthrax spores may have been planted by an aggrieved employee, an irate colleague or someone with a grudge against American Media Inc, which publishes The Sun and six other tabloids.

EARLIER REPORT:
2 cases of anthrax found in Florida

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